The Itself of Itself

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{{Infobox album

| name = The Itself of Itself

| type = studio

| artist = Bass Communion

| cover = Bass Communion - The Itself of Itself.jpg

| alt =

| released = 24 May 2024

| recorded = 2014–2023

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Ambient|drone|noise}}

| length = {{Duration|m=62|s=31}}

| label =

| producer = Steven Wilson

| prev_title = Cenotaph

| prev_year = 2011

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

The Itself of Itself is the tenth studio album by English musician, songwriter, and producer Steven Wilson under the stage name Bass Communion, released in Europe on 24 May, 2024{{cite web |url=https://allabouttherock.co.uk/bass-communion-the-itself-of-itself-new-album-by-steven-wilson-in-solo-electronic-mode-is-first-in-12-years-out-24-05-24-album-review-link-included/ |title=Bass Communion:The Itself of Itself – New Album by Steven Wilson in Solo Electronic Mode is First in 12 Years: Out 24.05.24 |work=All About the Rock |date=9 May 2024 |access-date=17 December 2024 |author=Deaux, Jon}} and in the US on 30 May 2024. It is the first full-length Bass Communion release in over twelve years.{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Steven |date=8 March 2024 |title=Bass Communion – The Itself of Itself |url=https://stevenwilsonhq.com/bass-communion-the-itself-of-itself/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |website=Steven Wilson HQ}} Its release was preceded by the reissuing of the entire Bass Communion catalogue on major music streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. To promote the album's release, Wilson performed a set as Bass Communion at Cafe Oto in London on 18 May, as part of a bill of various Fourth Dimension Records artists.{{Cite web |title=Cafe OTO → Alternative TV + Bass Communion (feat. Modelbau) + Splintered + Edward Ka-Spel, Saturday 18 May 2024, 7.30pm |url=https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/events/alternative-tv-2023/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |website=Cafe Oto}}

According to Bass Communion's Bandcamp page, "The Itself of Itself was selected from ten years worth of recordings, the ones chosen being those that [Steven Wilson] felt added something a bit different to the catalogue."{{Cite web |title=The Itself of Itself, by Bass Communion |url=https://basscommunion.bandcamp.com/album/the-itself-of-itself |access-date=13 July 2024 |website=Bandcamp |language=en}}

The album has been described as "unsettling, disturbing, challenging, and uneasy"{{Cite web |last=Nathanson |first=Zachary |date=29 May 2024 |title=Bass Communion - The Itself of Itself |url=https://echoesanddust.com/2024/05/bass-communion-the-itself-of-itself/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |website=Echoes And Dust}} in regards to the experimental and often harsh nature of the sounds. It has simultaneously been hailed as Wilson's "most uncompromising and adventurous"{{Cite web |last=Blache |first=Philippe |date=1 June 2024 |title=Bass Communion :: The Itself of Itself (Fourth Dimension) |url=https://igloomag.com/reviews/bass-communion-the-itself-of-itself-fourth-dimension |access-date=23 July 2024 |website=Igloo Magazine}} musical project due to these qualities.

The album received a physical release exclusively on CD, in a limited edition of 1,000 initial copies, which was increased to 1,500 copies due to demand.{{Cite web |date=4 May 2024 |title=Bass Communion – The Itself of Itself (2024, CD) |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/30583657-Bass-Communion-The-Itself-Of-Itself |access-date=23 July 2024 |website=Discogs}} The package features a deluxe gatefold card cover, with a 24 page booklet of photographs and an OBI strip, designed by Carl Glover.{{Cite web |last=Ewing |first=Jerry |date=18 March 2024 |title=Steven Wilson to release first new Bass Communion album for 12 years |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/steven-wilson-to-release-first-new-bass-communion-album-for-12-years |access-date=23 July 2024 |website=Louder}}